Read Henry and Beezus for Free Online

about all those boxes and boxes of gum. He didn’t want to think about it. Gum—ugh!
    â€œOK, Mom,” he agreed. “I’ll get rid of it. And don’t bother saving the bowl for me to lick.”
    Henry and Ribsy went out onto the front porch. As Henry was wondering how he would get rid of the gum, Scooter rode by and called out, “Miss Mullen was sure on the warpath because of your old gum. She went to every room in the school. I bet you caught it.”
    â€œI did not,” said Henry. “And anyway, what do I care?” That’s right, he thought, what do I care?
    He had saved over a dollar for his bike fund, even if he couldn’t expect to collect from the rest of the people who owed him money. Not only had he earned some bike money, he had been famous for a few days, too. And for once in his life he had chewed all the gum he wanted. So had his friends. More than they wanted.
    It did not take Henry long to make up his mind. “Come on, Ribsy,” he said, and ran down the street to Beezus’s house.

    When Beezus and her little sister came to the door, Henry stared at Ramona. “Jeepers!” he exclaimed. “What happened to her?” Almost all the hair was cut off the left side of her head. The right side was jagged.
    â€œDoesn’t she look awful?” asked Beezus. “After Mother cut the gum out of her hair, she got hold of the scissors and cut it herself. She says she wants to be bald like our Uncle Jack.”
    Henry groaned. Now probably everyone would say this was his fault. It certainly was funny the way he kept getting into trouble just because of a bunch of old gum. He would be glad when he saw the last of it. “Say, Beezus,” he said, “could I borrow your red wagon again? I’m going to take that gum back to the lot and dump it where I found it.”
    â€œSure, you can borrow it,” answered Beezus. “Come on. I’ll help.”

3
The Untraining of Ribsy
    O ne Saturday afternoon Henry was sitting on the front steps amusing Ribsy by throwing a stick for him to retrieve. Every time Henry tossed the stick out onto the lawn, Ribsy bounded after it, brought it back, and dropped it at Henry’s feet. Then Ribsy wagged his tail and waited for Henry to throw the stick again. Henry decided that since his dog was so smart about fetching sticks, he would teach him to bring his father’s slippers or something useful.
    While Henry and Ribsy were playing, Scooter McCarthy rode up on his bicycle and tossed the Huggins’ copy of the Journal onto the grass. “Say, Huggins,” he said, “I’m going to Scout Camp during Easter vacation next week and I wondered if you knew anybody I could get to take my paper route while I’m gone.”
    Henry tossed the stick for Ribsy again. “I’ll take it, Scooter. I’ve always wanted to deliver papers.”
    Scooter looked doubtful. “Aw, you’re not old enough.”
    Henry knew that Journal carriers had to be eleven years old, but he said, “It wouldn’t matter for three days, would it? It would still be your route and I’d just be a substitute. Aw, come on, Scoot. Let me do it.”
    â€œYou don’t have a bike,” said Scooter, “and I could only pay a dollar.”
    â€œI could walk,” said Henry. “And it’s all right about the dollar, too.” He wouldn’t admit it to Scooter, but he thought a dollar would be a lot of money to add to his bike fund all at once. “Please, Scooter. I won’t make any mistakes or anything.”
    â€œI’ve got some pretty cross customers on my route,” warned Scooter. “That old Mrs. Jones phones the Journal office if just one teeny corner of her paper gets in the mud, and Mrs. Green gets mad if I throw the paper in her flower boxes. You’ve got to be careful when you deliver papers.”
    â€œI could do it,” said Henry. “I’d